14 pilgrims trampled to death as thousands gather for haj ritual

Mena, Saudi Arabia: Fourteen people were trampled to death and hundreds injured by crowds marking Eid al-Adha, part of the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca.

The head of haj security said the pilgrims were killed on Tuesday in a heavy crush as thousands of people thronged to perform the ritual of throwing pebbles at a pillar representing the devil.

"There was a very high number of pilgrims and a lot of pressure," Brigadier Abdul-Aziz bin Mohammed bin Saeed said. "The injured, praise be to God, sustained only minor injuries and have already left hospital."

Officials said Indians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, an Iranian and a Yemeni were among the dead. Several of those killed were women and some bodies had not yet been identified.

Two million people are taking part in this year's five-day haj. Eid al-Adha, when pilgrims flock to Jamarat Bridge for the stone-throwing, is traditionally the most dangerous stage. ");document.write("

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The haj has been marred by accidents in other years. In 2001 at least 35 people died in a stampede at the bridge and 119 died in a similar incident in 1998. It has seen armed uprisings and bombings but its bloodiest tragedy was in 1990, when 1426 pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede.

Mena, on the pilgrimage route from Mecca in western Saudi Arabia to nearby Mount Arafat, thronged with people all day on Tuesday after pilgrims trekked there early in the morning.

Chanting Islam's rallying cry of "God is Greatest", the pilgrims, dressed in white, marched to Jamarat Bridge, where each threw seven pebbles at a pillar erected where Muslims believe the devil appeared to Abraham.

This year's pilgrimage has been overshadowed by the build-up of United States troops in the region preparing for an attack on Iraq.

Some used the occasion to vent their anger against Israel and the US. "Today, America is the devil and the main enemy of Muslims. Zionists and the crusaders led by [President George] Bush have declared war on Islam," Abdullah, a Jordanian pilgrim, said.

Pilgrims are largely opposed to the war and the Iraq campaign has further fuelled deep resentment over what many see as blind US support for Israel against Palestinians.

The haj is mandatory once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford the journey. Pilgrims begin the ritual by retracing the footsteps of the prophet Muhammad 14 centuries ago.